New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder on June 26. Hernandez killed his friend Odin Lloyd execution style after the two had a falling-out at a nightclub. When the news of the professional football player’s arrest went public, the New England Patriots offered any fans who had purchased a No. 81 Hernandez jersey from the Patriots’ ProShop and its website the option to exchange it for another player.
Some 1,200 people took advantage of the swap that took place on July 6 and July 7. 300 of those being children’s jerseys.
“We know that children love wearing their Patriots jerseys, but may not understand why parents don’t want them wearing their Hernandez jerseys anymore,” a Pats spokesperson reasoned last week. “We hope this opportunity to exchange those jerseys at the Patriots ProShop for another player’s jersey will be well received by parents.”
Check out photos from the swap in the gallery that follows. Hernandez, 23, is being held without bail at the Dartmouth House of Corrections.
